Improvement in seed-planters



T. RUSSELL.

Seed Planter.

Patented Apr. 13, 1858'.

NITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

THOMAS RUSSELL, OF WALDOBOROUGH, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEED-PLANTERS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS RUssELL, of\Valdoborough, in the county of Lincoln and State of Maine, haveinvented an Improved Seed-Planter; and I do hereby declare that O,descends and terminates in a furrow plow or opener, D, behind which arecoverers E E and a roller, F, as in many other planting-machines.

In iront of the furrow-opener, and on an axle or shaft, G, supported bythe frame A, are two wheels, H H, they being arranged with a narrowspace, 1, between them, so that when the machine is in use they may notpress on the ground directly in the extension of the path of the nose ofthe furrow'opener, but work on or 'close'to the edges of such extensionof the path. If a single wheel were employed in the middle of the aXleG, it would roll on the earth, and so condense it'directly in front ofthe furrow-opener as to increase the difficulty of opening the furrow.Again, should two wheels be employed and arranged at the extremities ofthe axle, as is the case in some planting-machines, the furrow-openerwould be likely to be lifted or more or less elevated whenever one wheelmeets any hill or obstruction. The advantages of my arrangement of thetwo wheels with respect to the furrow-opener will therefore be easilyperceived. These wheels are connected by a series of lifters orcrossties, at a a, placed at equal distances apart, as shown in Figs.land 3, and besides this an arm, I), from a rockershaft, 0, extends intothe space I between the wheels, and is operated by the series of liftersa a a when the wheels are in revolution. By the extension of the arm 1)into the space I such arm, while in movement, tends to clear the saidspace from any dirt which may clog the same. From the shaft 0 anotherarm, 0, extends upward, and

is connected to aspring,f, which is'so applied to the frame A as toproduce a motion of the shaft in reverse of that which is imparted to itby the wheels and their lifters. A rod, g, is jointed to the arm 6, andalso to the outer end of a lever-plate, K, which I term the dropper.Thefulcruin of the plate K is at its other end, or at It, (see Fig. 1.)wherein that part of the plate which is curved is represented in dottedlines. This part K has a reciprocating vibratory motion imparted to itby the action of the springfand that of the lifters on the arm I). Thereis an opening, 21, made through the dropper, as shown in Fig. 3, suchopening being beneath a gage-slide, L, which is slid into a chamber orspace, M, whose mouth or opening 1 is between the handles a n of theframe A, the same being so as to enable a person to remove the slide andinsert another, as occasion may require, without the necessity ofdisturbing any of the rest of the mechanism. The gage-slide is furnishedwith a hole, 0, for the reception of the seed, such hole being made of asize just sufficient to cause it to hold the amount of seed which it maybe desirable to drop each time that the hole of the dropper may bebrought directly underneath such gage-hole.

Over the gage-plate is a movable hopper, N, the same being so applied tothe platform B as to be capable of being lifted off the same. The bottomboard,p, of the hopper extends each way ashortdistance beyond the restof the hopper, and projects into recesses q r, formed in cross-tics stofthe frame A, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3. When on the platform B the hopperis confined thereto by a turn button, 8, applied as shown in Figs. 1 and3.

Across the upper part of the hopper is a transverse shaft, if, from themiddle of which a brush, 0, extends down into the hopper and rests onits bottom. A bent arm, u, projects down from the shaft 2, and extendsthrough a hole made in the dropper K, and so that when the dropper is inmotion on itsfulcrum it shall cause the brush to have a reciprocatiugmotion within the hopper, in order that it may not only sweep the bottomthereof, but shake or stir up the seeds when in the dropper,

and thereby prevent them from packing to gether, so as to obstruct theirfree delivery into the discharge-hole w of the hopper. The manner ofconnecting the brush-shaft with the dropper enables the two to bereadily disconnected when it may be desirable to remove the hopper fromits seat or platform.

By elevating the arm 1) above the path of rotation of thelit'ters andholdingup said arm by a hook, or, the machine may be wheeled over theground without any dropping of seed from the hopper taking place. Thelegs y y are applied to the frame A by hinges, so as to be capableot'being' turned up against the bandles, preparatory to the machinebeing put in operation. In order to operateit, a person has only to layhold of the handles and press the machine forward and the furrow-openerinto the earth at the same time. This will put the wheels in motion, andthey will cause the dropper and brush to be put in action, whereby theseeds will be dropped at regular intervals or distances in the furrowmade by the plow or furrow-opener.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. Arranging thearm b of the rocker-shaft 0 so as to extend and operate in the space Ibetween the wheels, as described, in order that such arm may serve toclear the said space between the wheels from earth which may adhere orbe taken up therein.

2. In connection with a hopper made removable from the frame, asspecified, applying the movable brush 0 to the dropper or valve K bymeans of an arm, 10, extending down from the brush-shaft and into thedropper K, in manner as described, the same being for the purpose asspecified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature.

THOMAS RUSSELL.

Witnesses:

ISAAC REED, OSCAR EATON.

